Red Beans and Rice

dloyer4's Note:

Traditional Red Beans and Rice for New Orleans

• Total Time: 2 hrs
• Prep Time: 0 mins
• Cook Time: 2 hrs

Ingredients:

Servings: 8

• 1 lb red kidney beans, dry
• 1 large onion, chopped
• 1 bell pepper, chopped
• 5 celery ribs, chopped
• 4 -5 garlic cloves
• 3/4 lb smoked ham, diced
• 1 lb andouille sausage, sliced on the bias
• 1 teaspoon dried thyme leaves, crushed
• 1 -2 bay leaf
• 2 -3 dashes Worcestershire sauce (to taste)
• 1 tablespoon ground red pepper (to taste)
• 1 teaspoon ground black pepper (to taste)
• 4 -5 dashes Crystal hot sauce (to taste) or 4 -5 dashes Tabasco sauce (to taste)

Directions:

1. Soak the beans overnight. Drain the water and cover the beans with a double volume of fresh water in the pot. Bring the beans to a rolling boil. Boil the beans for about an hour, until the beans are tender but not falling apart. Make sure the beans are always covered by water, or they will discolor and get hard. Drain when done.
2. While the beans are boiling, sauté the onions, celery, and bell pepper until the onions turn translucent. Add the garlic and saute for 2 more minutes, stirring occasionally.
3. After the beans are boiled and drained, add the sautéed vegetables to the beans, then add the ham, sausage, seasonings, and just enough water to cover.
4. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to a low simmer. Cook for 2 to 3 hours, until nice and creamy. Adjust seasonings as you go along. Stir occasionally, making sure that it doesn't burn and/or stick to the bottom of the pot. [Note: old beans -- older than six months to a year -- may not get creamy. If this happens, take a cup or so out and mash them, then return them to the pot and stir].
5. Serve generous ladles-ful over hot, long-grain, white rice.
6. In some New Orleans restaurants, it's traditional to serve Red Beans and Rice with chopped, pickled onions. The addition of the vinegar from the pickled onions really makes the beans "pop".